Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Limb pain and fever in a British Shorthair cat from metaphyseal
By Adagra, Carl et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2015·School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Australia·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Metaphyseal osteopathy in a British Shorthair cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 7-month-old British Shorthair cat was brought to the vet because it had been feeling very tired, had a fever, and was in pain in all its legs for about a month. After various tests, including X-rays and blood work, the vet diagnosed the cat with metaphyseal osteopathy, a condition that can cause pain and fever. The cat started feeling better after receiving a medication called prednisolone, but the symptoms returned when the treatment stopped. When the prednisolone was given again, the cat's symptoms improved once more.
People also search for: British Shorthair cat fever · cat leg pain treatment · metaphyseal osteopathy in cats · prednisolone for cats · lethargy in kittens
Abstract
Metaphyseal osteopathy, otherwise known as hypertrophic osteodystrophy, is a disease that causes pyrexia and lethargy accompanied by pain in the thoracic and pelvic limbs of rapidly growing large-breed dogs. While metaphyseal osteopathy has been descibed in association with slipped capital femoral epiphysis in cats, it has not previously been reported as a cause of limb pain and pyrexia in this species. A 7-month-old British Shorthair cat presented with a 1 month history of pyrexia, lethargy and pain in all limbs. Investigation included radiographs of the limbs and chest, abdominal ultrasound, serum biochemical analysis, haematology, bone biopsy, joint fluid aspiration and cytology. Findings were consistent with a diagnosis of metaphyseal osteopathy. The cat's clinical signs resolved following the administration of prednisolone. Symptoms recurred 1 month after the cessation of prednisolone therapy, but resolved when administration was resumed.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24899051/